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A voyaging
ship was wrecked during a storm at sea and only two of the
men on it were able to swim to a small, desert like island.
The
two survivors,
not knowing what else to do, agreed that they had no other recourse
but
to pray to God. However, to find out whose prayer was more powerful,
they agreed to divide the territory between them and stay on
opposite
sides of the island.
The
first thing they prayed for was food. The next morning, the
first
man saw a fruit-bearing tree on his side of the land, and he
was able to
eat its fruit. The other man's parcel of land remained barren.
After
a week, the first man was lonely and he decided to pray for
a
wife. The next day, another ship was wrecked, and the only survivor
was
a woman who swam to his side of the land. On the other side
of the
island, there was nothing.
Soon
the first man prayed for a house, clothes, more food. The next
day, like magic, all of these were given to him. However, the
second
man still had nothing.
Finally,
the first man prayed for a ship, so that he and his wife could
leave the island. In the morning, he found a ship docked at
his side of
the island. The first man boarded the ship with his wife and
decided to
leave the second man on the island.
He
considered the other man unworthy to receive God's blessings,
since
none of his prayers had been answered.
As
the ship was about to leave, the first man heard a voice from
heaven
booming, "Why are you leaving your companion on the island?"
"My
blessings are mine alone, since I was the one who prayed for
them,"
the first man answered. "His prayers were all unanswered
and so he does
not deserve anything."
"You
are mistaken!" the voice rebuked him. "He had only
one prayer,
which I answered. If not for that, you would not have received
any of
my blessings."
"Tell
me," the first man asked the voice, "What did he pray
for that I
should owe him anything?"
"He
prayed that all your prayers be answered."
For
all we know, our blessings are not the fruits of our prayers
alone,
but those of another praying for us.
Author
Unknown - Submitted By: Wanda P.
